Alexander Zverev Stops Play to Demand Fan is Removed from the US Open Arena Over Adolf Hitler Slur-
- 8 months ago
Alexander Zverev's late-night US Open round of 16 match against Jannik Sinner was marred by a racial slur made against the German No 12 seed.
Zverev and Sinner were embroiled in an enthralling fourth-round tie in the early hours of the morning in New York when the former made a complaint to the umpire about a comment he heard in the seconds before a point.
'He just said the most famous Hitler phrase there is. It is unacceptable,' Hamburg-born Zverev told British umpire James Keothavong after hearing a slur from the crowd.
Following the game, Zverev told a reporter what the supposed fan had said.
'He started singing the anthem of Hitler that was back in the day. It was `Deutschland über alles' and it was a bit too much,' the Hamburg native said.
'I love it when fans are emotional. But I think me being German and not proud of that history, it's not a great thing to do and I think him sitting in one of the front rows, I think a lot of people heard it. So if I just don't react, I think it's bad from my side,' he added.
In response, the umpire turned around in his chair to directly address the most expensive courtside seats, asking the culprit to identify himself.
When nobody owned up, Keothavong announced to the whole crowd to respect the players, while security was dispatched into the area to try and remedy the unsavory situation.
Play continued, before cameras then cut back to the stands a few minutes later to show a middle-aged male being spoken to by security and then led out of the arena - much to the delight of the fans around him.
It is unclear exactly what was allegedly said by the man, or if the man pictured by ESPN cameras was the fan alleged to have made the slur.
It is not the first crowd incident at this year's US Open, with Daniil Medvedev openly criticizing the supporters' noise after one of his matches.
'Thanks to all those who didn't yell between my first and second serve,' he said to the crowd after beating Sebastian Baez.
'However, there was a spectator, maybe he has a girlfriend or a wife who I don't know how she will sleep… He was particularly excited and would spend the night saying Vamos, vamos, vamos, without ever stopping. I'm sorry for him.'
Elsewhere, other fans have commented on the 'feral' atmosphere being offered up - especially on the Labor Day weekend in the Big Apple.
In the match itself on Monday night, Zverev won the first set against his Italian opponent Sinner, who is ranked sixth and headed into the fourth round match as the favorite.
Sinner fought back to level at one-set-all before Zverev made the most of his opponent's injury struggles to take the third set.
When all looked lost for Sinner with 1 a.m. approaching in the Big Apple, though, he won the fourth set to force a decider.
Zverev and Sinner were embroiled in an enthralling fourth-round tie in the early hours of the morning in New York when the former made a complaint to the umpire about a comment he heard in the seconds before a point.
'He just said the most famous Hitler phrase there is. It is unacceptable,' Hamburg-born Zverev told British umpire James Keothavong after hearing a slur from the crowd.
Following the game, Zverev told a reporter what the supposed fan had said.
'He started singing the anthem of Hitler that was back in the day. It was `Deutschland über alles' and it was a bit too much,' the Hamburg native said.
'I love it when fans are emotional. But I think me being German and not proud of that history, it's not a great thing to do and I think him sitting in one of the front rows, I think a lot of people heard it. So if I just don't react, I think it's bad from my side,' he added.
In response, the umpire turned around in his chair to directly address the most expensive courtside seats, asking the culprit to identify himself.
When nobody owned up, Keothavong announced to the whole crowd to respect the players, while security was dispatched into the area to try and remedy the unsavory situation.
Play continued, before cameras then cut back to the stands a few minutes later to show a middle-aged male being spoken to by security and then led out of the arena - much to the delight of the fans around him.
It is unclear exactly what was allegedly said by the man, or if the man pictured by ESPN cameras was the fan alleged to have made the slur.
It is not the first crowd incident at this year's US Open, with Daniil Medvedev openly criticizing the supporters' noise after one of his matches.
'Thanks to all those who didn't yell between my first and second serve,' he said to the crowd after beating Sebastian Baez.
'However, there was a spectator, maybe he has a girlfriend or a wife who I don't know how she will sleep… He was particularly excited and would spend the night saying Vamos, vamos, vamos, without ever stopping. I'm sorry for him.'
Elsewhere, other fans have commented on the 'feral' atmosphere being offered up - especially on the Labor Day weekend in the Big Apple.
In the match itself on Monday night, Zverev won the first set against his Italian opponent Sinner, who is ranked sixth and headed into the fourth round match as the favorite.
Sinner fought back to level at one-set-all before Zverev made the most of his opponent's injury struggles to take the third set.
When all looked lost for Sinner with 1 a.m. approaching in the Big Apple, though, he won the fourth set to force a decider.